Chrysanthemum plant named `Laguna`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Laguna`, characterized by its medium sized daisy-type inflorescences that are about 8 cm in diameter; attractive dark red ray florets and bright yellow disc florets; and excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaining good substance and color for three to four weeks in an interior environment after one week of cool storage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name `Laguna`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences withdesirable colors and good form and substance.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in March,1993, in Salinas, Calif. of two unnamed proprietary seedling selections.The female parent, seedling number 2355, is a daisy-type cutChrysanthemum with pink and white bi-colored ray florets. The maleparent, seedling number 0617, is a daisy-type cut Chrysanthemum with redray florets.

The cultivar `Laguna` was discovered and selected by the inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Alva, Fla., in April, 1994. The selection of this plantwas based on its desirable inflorescence color and good form andsubstance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Alva, Fla., has shown that the unique featuresof this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

The cultivar `Laguna` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Laguna`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Laguna` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Medium sized daisy-type inflorescences that are about 8 cm indiameter.

2. Attractive dark red ray florets and bright yellow disc florets.

3. Excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaininggood substance and color for three to four weeks in an interiorenvironment after one week of cool storage.

The new Chrysanthemum is similar in ray floret color to theChrysanthemum cultivars Foxy (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,414)and `Omaha` (disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.08/709,748). However in side-by-side comparisons in Salinas, Calif.under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum are shorter,flower earlier, have shorter peduncles, and have bright yellow maturedisc florets compared to plants of the cultivars `Foxy` and `Omaha`.Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences than plantsof the cultivar `Foxy`. Compared to plants of the cultivar `Omaha`,plants of the new Chrysanthemum have fewer inflorescences per floweringstem. Additionally, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have daisy-typeinflorescences whereas plants of the cultivar Omaha have anemone-typeinflorescences.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering stem of `Laguna` grown as a spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

The second photograph comprises a top perspective view of adaxial (left)and abaxial (right) surfaces of typical inflorescences of the cultivar`Laguna`.

The third photograph comprises a top perspective view of the adaxial(bottom of photograph) and abaxial (top of photograph) surfaces ofleaves of the cultivar `Laguna` at three different stages of developmentshowing the differences in size and lobation development.

Floret and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actualcolors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif. undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Rootedcuttings were planted Nov. 7, 1996 and cut flowers were harvested onJan. 13, 1997. After planting rooted cuttings of the new cultivar,plants received 14 long day/short nights following by short day/longnights until flowering. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for six typical flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar `Laguna`.

Commercial classification: Daisy spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Unnamed proprietary Dendranthema grandifloraseedling selection number 0617.

Female or seed parent.--Unnamed proprietary Dendranthema grandifloraseedling selection number 2355.

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21 C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous daisy spray-type cut flower. Stemsupright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.--About 76 cm.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leaf size, fullyexpanded: Length: About 11.5 cm. Width: About 8.5 cm. Leaf apex:Cuspidate. Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Palmately lobed. Leaftexture: Abaxial and adaxial surfaces slightly pubescent. Veinsprominent on abaxial surface. Color: Young foliage adaxial surface:147A. Young foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Mature foliage adaxialsurface: 147A. Mature foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Venation adaxialsurface: 147A. Venation abaxial surface: 147B. Petiole: Length: About3.5 cm. Color: 147B.

Flowering description:

Appearance.--Daisy-type inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne onterminals, arising from leaf axils. Disk and ray florets arrangedacropetally on a capitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to two weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about51 days later.

Postproduction longevity.--In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for three or four weeks in aninterior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.--About 6 florescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 8 cm. Depth (height): About 1.25cm. Diameter of disc: About 2 cm.

Ray florets.--Shape: Oblong. Size: Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 1.25cm. Apex: Cuspidate or emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.Texture: Satiny, smooth, glabrous, ribbed lengthwise. Aspect: Mostlyflat. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 32. Color: Whenopening: Adaxial surface: 46A with 9A at base. Abaxial surface: 173B.Mature: Adaxial surface: 46A with 9A at base. Color does not fade withfurther development. Abaxial surface: 173B/173C. Color does not fadewith further development.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular. Size: Length: About 7 mm. Width: Apex:About 2 mm. Base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:About 180. Color: Immature: 154A. Mature: Apex: 9A. Base: White. Throat:46A.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Strong and angled about 45° to the stem. Length:First peduncle: About 5.75 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 9.25 cm. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 147B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 9A. Pollen: Moderate, 9A in color. Gynoecium: Present on both rayand disc florets.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed `Laguna`, as illustrated and described.